Hana had never been in a Jack in the Box, before. It was a burger joint, evidently. After all of that running, she could use a drink, if nothing else. Skimming the menu, she approached a screen that would allow her to order. Her options were easy enough, though the more she looked, the more food sounded really good, too. It was almost to the point that her stomach was starting to speak up. In the end, she ordered a Twisted Strawberry Cooler with a Spicy Sriracha Burger meal.
As she searched out a table, she noticed a woman kept looking at her. Was she bothering her, somehow? Hana kept looking at her when she noticed, but the woman would quickly avert her head. It was annoying. Hana took a table that wasn't easily viewed from the windows and curled over her food. Luckily, since it was actually cold outside, the running didn't cause her to become excessively sweaty. Even so, it made her want a shower.
The drink and food were like heaven. Almost half of the cooler was gone before she took her first bite. She kept feeling the woman's eyes on her. Hana had been about to say something, until she saw that the woman had come over. For an American woman, she didn't look much older than her, with dark chestnut hair and pale olive skin. She had a pretty face, but was loaded down in boring, shapeless clothes. "Excuse me. I couldn't help but notice when you came here. Are you okay?"
Hana frowned, taking a bite of the burger. For a moment, she considered pretending like she didn't speak English very well, but that may be seen through, given that she had ordered the meal. She wasn't really in the mood for nosy people. "I was running, then I got hungry. Call the fucking cops."
The woman appeared briefly surprised, then she laughed, "Oh, okay. You just... seemed like you might need help." She began digging around into pockets before finding what she was looking for. She handed Hana a small card, "My names Melisande... Mel to most. Or Sandy, or Lissa, or whatever... anyway, I volunteer at the local church, they have programs to help..."
Hana was more than irritated, now. She was insulted. Grabbing her handbag, she held it up, speaking louder than she had anticipated. "Do you know what this is? It's a Givenchy! A fucking Givenchy! Have you ever heard of that fucking brand?" When Melisande shook her head, she continued, "This bag cost more than you probably make in a month."
Melisande had stepped back, folding her hands before her and seeming to have the good sense to be embarrassed. "I'm sorry." Her voice sounded meek, quiet. This girl was the type that tended to piss Hana off. "You just... looked like you were running away from something... or someone."
When she said that, Hana paused, looking down at her food. Sliding the card into the bag, she made her voice softer, "I'm fine... thanks for the concern."
Melisande had already started to walk back to her table. The workers were talking among themselves about the blow-up. It wasn't like Hana actually needed any help, right? Soon enough, the woman left. For a while, Hana did her best not to think at all. But, as thought began to slip its way in, here and there, she realized that she didn't have anywhere to go. She could find a place to stay, but it would either leave a paper trail, or be potentially dangerous. She had stayed at random strangers' houses in Japan, but she knew that it was not as safe, here.
Pulling the card she was handed out, she flipped it around in her fingers a few times. Then she pulled out her iPhone and dialed the number. When it was picked up, background sounds told her that the woman was still out on the road. "Hello? This is Melisande."
"Melisande... I'm Hana. You gave me your card at Jack in the Box."
"Ah, yes! What can I do for you, Hana?"
Hana sighed, "I do need help. I'm... sort of running away."
A brief pause followed.
"Hello?"
"Ah, yes, hello. Sorry, I was turning around. I'll be back there in about ten minutes." In the background, Hana heard a V8 engine, and a bunch of people yelling. "Idiots... save that behavior for Summer. You would think that the cold weather would stop people from showing their ass."
Hana gave a weak laugh. "So... what is this organization?"
"It's actually a church. Hey, I'm gonna let you go. I don't have bluetooth in my car, and I hate staying on the phone while I'm driving."
"O-okay."
"You can stay at your table. I'll come in for ya."
They hung up, and Hana looked at her phone. She suddenly wanted to move, her body shifted here and there trying to relieve a weird feeling of pressure in the back of her neck. No matter how she moved, she couldn't seem to get rid of it. Maybe she was just anxious. Each time a person approached, she looked toward the door. She wondered what she was going to happen, now. She had consciously made the decision to run away. Would it be a new beginning?
When Melisande arrived, Hana got up and moved out to her car. It wasn't a particularly impressive car. The front had a dent in it, and it looked like something from the nineties. Hana just recognized that it wasn't a Japanese car, though the logo was missing. Melisande stepped out of it, looking over at Hana. "I could've come in to get you."
Hana shook her head. "That's fine. I was getting anxious in there, anyway."
"Let me clear out the other side."
Melisande disappeared back into her car, clearing the passenger side seat of a make-up bag, a bag from a grocery store, lottery tickets, and a pile of papers. When she was done, she opened the door from the inside. "Come on in."
Hana sat down, tension coming through her neck and back. She wanted to apologize. It wasn't a feeling she often got. "Hey... I was rude, before."
Melisande shrugged, pulling out of the parking lot. "I've heard worse." She paused, then continued, "'Fuck off, bitch,' 'Get lost, spic,' 'Suck my cock, fatty.'" Her head tipped side to side as she said each one. It only served to make Hana feel worse. "So... yeah, don't worry about it. I appreciate that you're saying that."
Hana frowned, not really sure if she should feel better or not. Words like that from many of the girls she knew would have been intended to make her feel worse. "Mm."
Melisande continued to smile, "So, if you don't mind my asking... what are you running from?"
There was a long moment before the question was answered, "My husband-to-be."
Shock was evident, "Does he beat you?"
Hana shook her head sharply. "No. Nothing like that. he just... scares me. I don't want to see what he's capable of."
Melisande must have picked up on the fact that Hana did not call Ren her fiance. "It's an arranged marriage? Do Asians still do that?"
Hana shrugged, "Sometimes. Normally it's when two families who want to merge... or for political reasons. Americans do it, too, right? Like Legally Blonde?"
Melisande laughed, "Oh, that's an old movie. Yeah, some people marry for political advantage."
Hana turned to watch the scenery pass by. "Yes, you could consider that it."
"Mysterious. Alright, well, we helped a girl from Iran get away from her family... I don't see why people just can't marry whomever they wish."
Hana made a small sound, just watching the buildings pass. They hadn't travelled long at all before the car began to come to a stop. When Hana saw the church, she wrinkled her nose. It was a giant triangle. "Is this a church?"
Melisande smiled weakly, "Yeah. That's our cathedral."
"Cathedral?"
"Catholic thing... basically where our bishop... the ones in red, lives."
Hana nodded, "I see."
They exited the car and walked toward the building. This was nothing like what Hana had thought of churches. None of the ones in Japan looked like that. She just had a hard time believing it was one. Once inside, though, the stained glass and pews told her that it was, in fact, a real church. It was huge within, with smaller, triangular stained glass windows showing the stations of the cross. Hana was unaware of the significance, though. Instead, she thought they were something that probably needed to be respected, but they were also very pretty. There were two people in a pew that she could see.
Hana had gone ahead and stepped within the main body of the building, while Melisande stopped to dip her fingers in water just before crossing herself. She followed Hana, then. Toward the front pews, she saw a priest praying the rosary. Melisande jogged up to the side of the pew, knelt and made a cross gesture with her hand before slipping into the pew and kneeling on a board that stuck back from the pew in front of them. Hana was briefly glad that she wasn't Catholic, because if just sitting down required that be done twice then it was too much ritual. Hana knelt, crossing herself as Melisande had before sitting in the pew, out of respect.
There were several silent minutes while the priest finished praying and counting off on the beads as he did, not acknowledging them until he was finished. When he was done, Melisande pushed her shoulder against his, causing him to lose his balance on the platform he was kneeling on. "Hey, almost father!"
The man laughed, a sound that hinted at how nice his voice was. "Good evening, Mel. What brings you here at this hour?"
When she saw his face, Hana was dumbstruck. When she pictured priests, she thought of men who looked like the Pope: sexless, neutered male figures. This one looked like he belonged in a young woman's comic book with a sexual overtone. Her mouth began to hang open a little and it became hard to blink. He was tall, particularly for an Asian man. He looked Asian, or at least part Asian, she thought. His features were strong, with a square jaw, high cheekbones, moderately full lips, and kind eyes that were neither so large they looked like they belonged on a small, fuzzy animal, nor so small that he looked unscrupulous. His robes hung well over his broad shoulders and muscular torso, pulled around his waist with a sash of some sort.
Melisande was talking to him, but none of their conversation really penetrated her brain until she realized that they were both looking at her and not speaking. "I'm sorry, what?"
The priest spoke, and now that she was actually paying attention, Hana liked his voice, which was moderately deep, warm and authoritative without making him sound old. "We do not have anywhere for you to stay in the church, but if you would like, we have a shelter where you can go, tomorrow. They are closed, right now. However, Mel has offered up her home. If you want to stay the night there."
Hana looked between the two of them, realizing that she missed quite a bit of conversation while she was trying to picture what the priest looked like without the robes. A sudden anxiety came over her as she planned how she would respond. Normally, she might not have any problem approaching a stranger, but he was different. She stepped next to him, moving past Melisande, who was sitting on the pew, and wrapped her arms around one of his, pulling herself close. "Of course, priest-sama. What is your name? I am Hana. Hana Yagami."
A surprised breath could be heard behind her, and the priest was a little shocked as well. Though she knew the look in his eyes, and was glad that her gamble might have paid off. She just had to fend off her nerves long enough. His smile, at once kind and a little uncomfortable, hit the defense of her will like an RPG. "My name is Niall. Niall Moon."
Hana inquired, "Father Niall Moon?"
He shook his head. "I am a novice. I am still working my way through seminary. So, I am not a full-fledged priest, yet."
Hana perked up, immediately. "Then I think you should change your mind. It would be a shame for someone who looks like you to promise yourself to God, alone."
Melisande interrupted, quickly, "I think we should be going."
Hana glanced at her, noticing that her face had begun to turn red where it could be seen over her scarf. She sighed, "Alright. Though, if the priest-in-training had a little extra room in his bed..."
Hana let the rest hang in the air, using her most practiced and cute seduction technique. Her lips were pursed only slightly, eyes large and looking up, doe-like, at him. She could see his face begin to change color before he spoke, disengaging himself from her. "Yes. I mean, yes, you should go. You can bring her back, tomorrow, and we can talk about her situation. For now, I think we all should get some sleep."
By this point, the other person who had been in the church had left, and it was only the three of them. Melisande gestured for Hana to follow. It took her a moment, but eventually she followed, waving at the priest, "Mata ne, Sou-sama."
She suddenly felt like skipping out of the cathedral. It had been years since the urge to skip had come over her. Once they were outside, Melisande frowned, "Is it normal for Japanese people to be so friendly?"
Hana glanced over at her above the car, before she got in. "It's normal for me, when I'm flirting with someone I think is hot. And that priest is fucking hot."
The expression made in response made Hana laugh, she could only describe it as bewildered shock . Melisande sat in the car, a moment passing before she turned the engine over, "You do know that he's on a path toward utter sexlessness... right?"
Hana pulled down the visor, looking in the vanity mirror. Slipping a finger along glossed lips, she grinned, "I think I can make him stray away from it."
Melisande looked like she was going to say something quite different before she changed the subject, "So... tell me how you got into this situation."